Adventurers retrace Shackleton journey

Three young adventurers have successfully completed an expedition to South Georgia in the South Atlantic marking the centenary of Ernest Shackleton's epic journey across the island.

Tom MacTavish struggles against one of the violent squalls that struck the team during their crossing Photo: Supplied/ Antarctic Heritage Trust - James Blake

Tom MacTavish, representing New Zealand, Sinead Hunt from Ireland and James Blake, son of the late Sir Peter Blake, representing the UK, retraced the route taken by Shackleton, Tom Crean and Frank Worsley.

The early explorers' boat journey of 16-30 October 1915 from Elephant Island to South Georgia is remembered as an amazing feat of navigation, and their trek across the island as a desperate act of bravery.

The goal was to get help for the crew of Shackleton's expedition, marooned on Elephant Island.

Their ship Endurance had become stuck in pack ice and the crew were forced to winter on an ice floe in makeshift camps before conditions enabled them to escape in three lifeboats.

They headed to Elephant Island, from where Shackleton and a crew of five men made a 16-day journey to get help, sailing 1420km to Bay South Georgia in one of the lifeboats and crossing the island from King Haakon Bay to a whaling station at Stromness.

After many attempts, and 128 days, the 22 remaining men left on Elephant Island were rescued and, incredibly, no one died.

Tom MacTavish said the expedition was a fantastic experience and an adventure he would cherish for the rest of his life.

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